Water saver



April 27, 1948. w. M. ANDERSON, SR 2,440,389 I WATER SAVER Filed Aug.14, 1944 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 27, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATER SAVER WalterMark Anderson, Sn, Montgomery, Ala

Application August 14, 1944, Serial No. 549,359

4 Claims.

The device forming the subject matter of this application serves toprovide novel structural means for closing the buoyant valve of a closetflush tank, or other flush tank, prematurely, to effect a saving ofwater, a consideration desirable in view of present war conditions. Afurther object of the invention is to supply novel means whereby theclosing of the aforesaid valve may be brought about either at the willof an operator, or through the instrumentality of an auxiliary floatwhich, as the level of the water in the tank falls, becomes a weight,imposed upon the valve.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenhance the utility of devices of that type to which the presentinvention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The drawings show a preferred but not mandatory form, and therein theinvention is illustrated in a single figure, which is an elevation,parts being broken away.

The numeral I has been used to designate a flush tank, provided with aflushing-water outlet 2, the outlet having a valve seat 3, whichincludes a lateral extension 4, whereunto is connected a vertical pipe5, adapted to receive water from a ball-cock (not shown), after abuoyant valve 6 has settled upon the seat and closed it against theoutflow of the accumulated water I. The refilling pipe for the closettrap (not shown) appears at I5.

The mechanism for raising the valve 6, to the end that it may float onthe water and permit the Water to be discharged by way of the outlet 2,comprises a stem 8, threaded into the valve 6 and slidable in a guidebracket I8 secured to the pipe 5, the stem having a head 9 at its upperend, disposed above a lateral eye III on a link II, the eye beingslidable along the stem. The upper end of the link I I has a head I2,cooperating with any suitable mechanism I4, functioning to raise thelink and permit the valve 6 to float, at the will of an operator.

Up to this point, the description relates to an old and well knownstructure, the resulting operation being of common knowledge. When thevalve 6 is raised by an operator, it floats until 2 a predeterminedquantity of water has escaped through the outlet 2: and then the valvecloses on the seat 3, due to the weight of the member 6 and to suctionthrough the outlet.

Assuming that conditions demand economy in the use of water, if thevalve Ii can be caused to close earlier than would be required for thedischarge of the aforesaid predetermined quantity, water will be saved.An earlier closing of the valve 6 may be obtained if an increaseddownward pressure is imposed upon it.

In the present invention, increased downward pressure is put on thevalve 6 by adding weight to it, :or by thrusting it downwardly, at thewill of an operator.

A laterally extended bracket I! is secured to the upper portion of thepipe 5, an elongated guide tube 59 being fixed in the bracket. In theguide 58 and in the top of the flush tank I, an operating member I9,preferably in the form of a rod, is mounted for reciprocation. The rodI9 has a push button 29 at its upper end. At its lower end, the rod I9is supplied with a transverse finger 2 I, terminating in a loop 22,receiving the stem 8 slidably.

At any time during the discharge of the water in the tank I, through theoutlet 2, the operator may depress the rod I9, thereby putting pressureon the valve b, and causing it to engage the seat 3. The valve 6 thusmay be closed before the full quantity of water in the tank I has beendischarged, and water will be saved. If the operator finds that morewater is required to bring about a proper flushing, he can open thevalve 6 by way of the stem 8, the link II and the mechanism I4, and thenclose the valve 6 again, before the full quantity of water has run out,the rod It being given another downward thrust.

In order to economize water, it is not necessary that the rod I9 beactuated by an operator. An abutment 23 is carried by the rod I9, forslidable adjustment, but the abutment normally has a fixed heightconsidered relatively to the valve 6, since a spacer 24 is disposedabout the rod l9, between the abutment and the finger 2i of the rod, thespacer being preferably a spiral wire.

A float 25 is provided, and is carried by a radius arm 26, o-perativelyconnected to the ball-cock (not shown) in the customary way.

A saddle 21 is secured to the radius arm 26, a depending thrust rod 28having its upper end pivotally connected at 29 with the saddle. Thethrust rod 28 has a transverse arm 30 at its lower end, the armterminating in an eye 3|, which is slidably mounted on the operatingmember I9, above the abutment 23.

Assuming that the level of the water falls, until the float 25 no longeris bouyantly supported, the float, the parts 21 and 28 which it carries,constitute a Weight which, being superposed on the abutment 23, causesthe valve 6 to close earlier than would be the case otherwise, aquantity of water less than the aforesaid predetermined. quantity beingpermitted to escape through the outlet 2.

The amount of water that escapes before the float 25 and associatedparts become a weight, may be varied by changing the length of thespacer 25, thereby to raise or lower the abutment 23. A piece may simplybe clipped ofi' the spacer 243, or one spacer may be substituted foranother, the spacers being of difierent lengths.

It will be understood that the specific flush tank and operating detailsfor the stem 8 may be varied as occasion or the existing installationsmay require, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a Water saving device, a flush tank having an outlet, .a buoyantvalve controlling the outlet, a valve operating member disposed abovethe valve and supported thereby, said member being movable relatively tothe valve, a portion of said member being exposed for depression by anoperator, to secure a premature closing of the valve, an abutment onsaid member, a float and mechanism for mounting the float in the tankfor movement responsive to the rise and fall of the liquid therein,weight means comprising a part slidably mounted on said member andengageable with the abutment, when the level of the water in the tankfalls, thereby to superpose an added Weight on the valve and to secure apremature closing of the valve.

In a water saving device, a flush tank having an outlet, a buoyant valvecontrolling the outlet, an operating member mounted for verticalmovement, the operating member being disposed above the valve and beingsupported thereby, an abutment movable along the operating member, andincluding spacing means, a weight slidable along the operating memberand engageable with the abutment upon depletion of water in the.

tank, to promote a premature closing of the valve, and a float connectedto the Weight and responsive to changes of level in the tank.

3. A water saving device constructed as set forth in claim 2, andwherein said means is a spacer removably mounted on the operating memberand supported thereby, the upper end of the spacer engaging theabutment.

4. A water saving device, constructed as set forth in claim .2, andwherein said means is a severable coiled Wire disposed about theoperating member and supported thereby, the upper end of the wireengaging the abutment.

WALTER MARK ANDERSON, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 449,242 Beekman et al. U,"- Mar,31, 1891 701,548 Day June 3, 1902 1,013,225 Schulte Jan. 2, 19122,106,916 Morkisch Feb. 1, 1938 2,168,742 Oneill et al. Aug. 8, 1939

